Highway crossing signal system



Oct. 11, 1932. A. J. VALLEE HIGHWAY caossma SI GNAL SYSTEM Filed May 12, 1931 ORNEY Patented Oct. 11, 1932 mazes ARMANI) a. vALLnE, or ALBANY, new YORK, assrenon ro' G NERAL RAILWA srennr.

- c COMPANY, A conroae'rron or new our:

* HIGHWAY cnossmq SIGNAL SYSTEM Application filed May 12, 1931. Serial No. 536,814.

7 This invention relates in general to signaling means for use where highways cross railway tracks, and has more particular refer,- ence to an improved and specially safeguarded system of this character. 7.

In signaling systems of the character in question, it is always desirable to economize in power consumption as much as possible, and to continue any 'warning signaling so long as any danger exists. 7

With the above and other objects in view, it is proposed, in accordance with the present invention, to provide asignal system wherein a power-off relay is employed which auto+ matically cuts into use a storage battery which is trickle charged from a source of alternating current, upon failure of the alternatingcurrent source, for. energizing the light sources. Contrary to usual practice,

however, this power-oftrelay is normally deenergized, thus saving energy, and more specifically, this is made possible by carrying the energizing circuit for the lights, not only through contacts of the power-off relay, but

' also through contacts ofa usual interlocked relay. I r a A further object is to provide means whereby the highway crossing warning signal is continued until the rear end of a train has completely cleared the highway. More specifically, this is accomplished by providing the insulating joints separating the track into signaling blocks, in a staggered relation, on either side of the highway, and providing a shunt path around each insulating joint, with the shunt path controlled by a contact .finger and. back point of a respective inter locked relay. I i

Further objects, purposes and character- 4o isticfeatures will appear as the description" progresses, reference being-made to the ac companying drawing, showing, whollyuby way of example, and in no manner whatso-' ever inalimiting sense, one formwhich the invention can assume. In the drawing j j The single figure ofdrawing is a'diagrammatic representation of a signalling system in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a stretch of single track constituted by track rails 1, arranged for traflic in both directions. The track is separated into signaling blocks A and B, by means of'insulating joints 3 and 4 and 5 and 6, with usual sources of energy, such as trackbatteries 7, each connected across one end of each of the signalling blocks. 'Across the other ends of the signalling blocks are connected inter.- locked relays 8 and 9, which are mechanically, or otherwise, interlockedQas desired, as for example, in application Ser. No. 474,958 filed August 13, 1930, of O. S.;Field.

Crossingthe track rails 1, at a point be.- tween the insulating joints 5 and 6, is a highway H, and at each side ofthe highway is a light signal of the usual wig-wag type, having light sources 10 and 11, and 12 and 13 respectively.

. For causing the light sources to flash, a flashing relay FL is employed, having wind 7o ings, 14 and 15, a polar contact finger 16, r and light controlling contact fingers 17 and 18. This flashing relay may be of. any usual or desired type, but is preferably of the shunt-out type, as shown in the application to O. S..Field, Ser.'No. 452,666 filed May 15, 1930;

The energy for operating'this signal system comprises a source'of alternating current A. 0. connected up inmultiple to a transformer T and a rectifier R which latter may be of any usual or des'ired type, either single or double wave. The input side of the rec: tifier R is connected to the alternating curs rent source by wires: 19 and 20, and the out. put side of the rectifier isconnected by wires 21 and 22 to a storage battery B. I

The primary-winding of transformer T is ppngected by wires 23 and 24 tothe source The variousparts are shown in the conditions and positions assumed under normal conditions with neither of the detector track circuits A, B occupied. V Y Assume now that a west bound train en,- ters the detector tracksecti-on B. Occupancy of section B shunts out interlocked relay 9, to cause it to release its various contact fingers. j

The dropping of contact finger 25 of re-' 100 lay 9 closes a shunt path about insulating 1 joint 6, whichpath includes wires 26 and 27,

contact finger and back point, and Wires 28 and 29, to thereby extend-the detector track circuit B from the insulating joints 4 up to the 'insulatingjoint '5, so as to wholly include'the highway. Before this shuntpath 7 Was closed around joint 6, the detector tracksection B extended only up,to the joint'6, but

with 25 retracted, the section extends up 5 to 5, inas much as now," occupancy of the track between 6 and 5 shunts out relay 9;

(l/Vhen 25 is up, occupancy of thetrack between 6 and 5 does not shunt out relay 9.) j Therelease of contact finger of relay 9 closes a pick-up circuit'for the power-ofi' relay PO, which includes the secondaryoftransformer T, wire 31, the-winding'fof relay PO,'wire 32,icontact finger 30 and back point,

' and wires'33 and 34, whereupon'relayPO picks up its contact fingers and 36, and stays :up so longas thesource does notfail, and detector track section B remains occupied. V

The'release of-contact finger 37- ot relay 9,

closesa-circuitfor energizing the flashing relay FL whichwcircuit includes the'ipositive 7 terminal of the battery B,-WireS'f38,139' and 40, contact finger 37 and back point, wires Hand 42, contact finger 16in its left hand position, wires 42 and lii, winding 15, and

wires 44 and 4:5 to the other side of'the batand 58, contact finger'35'alnd -front' 'po'int of tery. This results'in a shifting of the polar contact finger 16to its opposite", dotted line) position, and-causes the picking up ofjc-ontact finger 18. "The polar finger 16, alternately shunts outfirst one, and then the other, of the windings lfl and 15, to therebycause contact fingers '18 and 17 toalt'ernatelymake and break-contact With-their back 'pointsi.

With contact finger 46 of relay- 9"down,

,and contact finger 18 of the flashing relay FL picked up, energizing circuits irreconcpleted for the two left-hand light sources 12 and 10,;of the respective crossing signals,

which circuits include, Lone side-"o1 the secondary of transformer/I, wires,31 a'nd'4 -6, contact finger 36' and front point, wires 47 and 48, light sources" 121 and 10 in multiple, wires 49 "and'50, contact finger '17 andback point of the flashing relay', wire 51,"cfontact finger 46 and backpointoi relay 9, wires 52 relay PU, wires 5 l 'and 32, icontact finger' 30 and back point of relay 9, and wires 33 and 34:bEtCl to the other transformer T.

side oi thesecondary of After ashort duration' 'of tilne, lanipsflO I and 12 become de-energiz ed, and 'larnps'll and; 13 become energized throu'gh 1 circuits similar to those traced'just above, but'ineluding contact finger 18. and back point of the flashing relay, in place of theicontact finger 17 and back point thereof. Thus the highway signals are alternately flashed, to

give a wig-wag effect, so long as the section B is occupied.

It should'be noted particularly that section B, when unoccupied extends from the insulating joints 4: up to the insulating joint ,6,-but-as soon as it isoccupied, the sliunt path-around the insulating joint 6 is completed by the release of interlocked relay 9,

.to thereby extend. this detector track section up to the insulating joint 5 as" explained above. -5,; .therefore isnormally de-energized, or ",dead, when sections A and B are unoccupied, and this is an advantage in that any- This section'between joints 6 and track section, the signal continues to display its warning'untilthe o'ccupied'train has com pletely cleared the highway;

"Furthermore the-'power-off relay- PO op-- crates, on failu're of alternating current, 'to .release'its contact'fingers 35 and'36, to there by substitute battery energy from battery B,

through wires'55 and 56, for the alternating current energyll j gTh'eoperat-ion of the system, upon an east bound train enteri-ng section A, is similar to that described; above,af shunt path being complet'edby relay 8, around insulating joint 5, to thereby extend section A upto insulating loint6. The aboye specific description of one form of"system einbodyingthe present invention,

has been given solely byway of illustration, 1

and is not intended, in any manner whatsoever,'-in alimiting sense; Obviously this in? vent'ion' can assumeflinany difierent physical iorms,'-and' is susceptible of numerous, modific'ati'ons, and all 7 such forms and modifica tions, are included by this, "application,.-as' come within the scope of, the appended claimsf V v a,

' Having described mypinve'ntio'n, now

claini fic controlled relay, a source of alternatingcurrent and a] source of direct current, a power-oil relay, an energizing' 'circuit for said signal inclu d'ing a back 'poi'nt iof the trafiic controlled relay and either a front'or a back v I e v "1i In cornbination,a crossing signal, a me point ofjthe power-oil" relay, andan energiz v ing circuit for the power ofi relay including a back point of the one ofthe sources of energy, 7 g

1 2. Incomb'nationjwith a stretch of single track and a highway crossing the tracln'fa detector track section at each side of the highway I andeach normally terminating at the near side of the highway respectively, and

rafiiccontrolled relay and, I

means, including ,a traflic controlled device, for at times extending one or the other ofthe detector track'sections to the opposite side of the highway.

3. In a crossing signal system, in combination a signal, a detector track circuit, a traffic relay controlled by said circuit, two separate sources of current, an energizing circuit having multiple branches connected respectively to said two sources, a power-oil relay selectively controlling said multiple branches, and an energizing circuit for the power-oil relay controlled by the traffic relayi 4. In a crossing signal system, in combination, a signal, a detector track circuit, a track relay controlled by said circuit to be ener-.

gized when the track circuitis unoccupied, two separate sources of current, an energizing circuit for the signal controlled by said relay and having multiple branches connectable respectively to said two sources, a power-oif relay selectively controlling said multiple branches, and an energizing circuit for the power-off relay controlled by a back point of the track relay.

5. In a crossing signal system for highway crossings, in combination, a signal, a detector track circuit, a trafiic relay controlled by said circuit, two separate sources of current, an energizing circuit for the signal controlled by said relay and having multiple branches connectable respectively to said two sources, a power-off relay selectively controlling said multiple branches, an energizing circuit for the power-01f relay controlled by the trafiic relay, a track insulating joint at each side of a crossing highway for defining one end of the track circuit, and means controlled by said traffic relay for closing a shunt around the joint at the near side of the highway.

6. In a crossing signal system, in combination, a signal, adetector track circuit, a traffic relay controlled by said circuit to be en ergized when the track circuit is unoccupied, two separate sources of current, an energizing circuit for the signal controlled by said relay and having multiple branches connectable respectively to said two sources, a power-ofi:' relay selectively controlling said multiple branches, an energizing circuit for the poweroff relay controlled by the traffic relay, a track insulating joint at each side of a crossing highway for defining one end of the track circuit, and means controlled by said trafiic relay for closing a shunt around the joint at the near side of the highway.

7. In a crossing signal system, in combination, a signal, a detector track circuit,'a track relay connected across said circuit, two separate sources of current, an energizing circuit for the signal controlled by,

the track relay and having multiple branches connectable respectively to said'two sources, a power-0E relay selectively controlling said relay, a track :insulating'joint at each'side of a crossing highway defining one'end of the trackcircuit, and means controlled by jsaid track "relay for closing a shunt around the joint atthe near side ofthe highway,

upon occupancy 'ofthe track circuit. for the signal controlled by said relay and .8. In combination with a stretch ofsingle track, anda highway crossing the track, a "signal at each side of thecrossing, a detector 'tracksection at' each side of the highway with their adj acent-ends defined by insulating joints oneat each side of the highway in staggered relation, 'an'energizing circuit for each signal, and interlocked relays con nected: respectively across the track'sections, and controlling-the eii'ective lengthsof said sections and the signal energizing circuits. 7 9. In combination with a stretch of single track, and a highway crossing thetrack, a signal at each side of the crossing, a detector track section at each side of the highway with their adjacent ends defined by insulating joints one at each side of the highway,

an energizing circuit for each signal, interlocked relays connected respectively across the track sections, and controlling the signal energizing circuits, and a'shunt around each said joints controlled respectively by the in- 5 terlocked relays. I a

10. In combination with astretch-of single track, and a highway crossing the track, a signal at each side of the crossing, adetector track section at each side of the highway with their adjacent ends defined by insulating oints {one at each side of the highway, an energizing circuit for each signal, interlocked relays connected respectively across the track sections, and controlling the signal 3 with their adjacent'ends defined by insulating joints one at each side of the highway, an energizing circuit for each signal, interlocked relays connected respectively across the track sections, and controlling the signal energizing circuits,twoseparate sources of energy for the signal energizing circuits, and a power-0il relay for placing one or the other of the sources in the signal energizing circuits, and having an energizing circuit including a point of an interlocking relay and one of said sources. 1

12. In combination with a stretch of single track, and a highway crossing the track, a signal at each side of the crossing, a detector track section at each side of the highway with their adjacent ends definedby insulatr, 7' j ing joints'one at each side of thehighway, V: an energizing circuit for -eachsignal,;and interlocked relays conncctedrespectively across the track sections, and controlling the s gnal, energizingcircuits, a shunt around each said joints controlled respectivelysby the'inter lockedrelays whereby occupancy of a track section operates to extendsuch section across i n the highway,two separate sources of energy V for the signal energizing circuits, and: a power-off relay forplacin'g one orthe other sources in the signal energizing circuits, and 1 having an energizing circuit including a point of an interlocked relayand one of said sources. 7 1

13. In combinationwitha stretch of i single track, and a highway crossing the track, a

signal at each side of the crossing, a'detector Q 7 track section at each side of the highway with their adjacent ends defined; by insulating joints one at each side of the highway,an

energizing circuit 'foreach signal, interlocked relays. connected respectively across the track sections and controlling the signal energizing circuits, and ashunt'aroundeach said joints controlled respectivelyby theinterlocked relays, whereby occupancy of pa track section operatesto extend such section across the highway, two separate sources of energy for the slgnal energizing c1rcu1ts,:and

a power-oil relay for placing one or the other sources in the signal energizing "circuits, and having an energizing circuit including a back point of either oftheinterlocked relaysand one of said sources.

In testimony whereof, I- afiix inyjsign ature.

, ABMAND"J1YALLEE, 7 I i 

